Two men caught trying to steal 15 ton bridge

As grand thefts go the attempt of two men to steal a 15-ton railway bridge in northern Greece was a bold one. Armed with a crane the two suspects were hardly inconspicuous.

Athens News reported two construction company workers were caught in the act as they attempted to dismantle and steal a Hellenic Railway Organisation (OSE) bridge in the village in Kilkis, northern Greece. The 15- ton bridge measures 17x5 metres.

According to Ekathimerini scrap metal thieves have torn off around 60 percent of another bridge which crosses the Strymonas River in Serres, northern Greece. Serres municipal councilor Efthymios Spanidis said scrappers "steal wrought iron railings, manhole covers, electricity converters and anything else than contains iron or copper.”

Serres police chief Stefanos Mandylas explained scrapping is part of organized criminal activity across the Balkans. He said "We have intercepted entire trucks filled with pilfered copper cabling, metal equipment and grills destined for Bulgaria.”

Earlier this week a report in To Vima highlighted the problem of metal theft. The Mayor of Corinth said the area had a huge problem with "Roma from Bulgaria and Romania, who are daily stealing whatever they can find: public lighting cables, transformers of electricity, storm water wells, tractors, farm houses."

Scrap metal theft if a lucrative trade for thieves who can turn a tidy profit.